Rice County Sheriff's Office Performs Rescue on Cannon River

Rice County Sheriff Jesse Thomas said after the rescue of capsized canoeists and kayakers Saturday, the Cannon River was dangerous due to unseen debris.

Much of it is large branches and trees toppled by tornadoes in 2018. Sheriff Thomas encourages people to use caution if traveling on the Cannon. He was also happy to see that all those rescued were wearing life jackets.

The call was received and on Saturday, May 26, 2024, at 11:29 a.m., a canoe overturned on the Cannon River near the 18000 block of Cabot Avenue.

Upon arrival, deputies learned that a group of three adults and six youths had gone on the Cannon River from Two Rivers Park in Faribault and were using several kayaks and canoes to get to Northfield. Two of the canoes became tangled in two downed trees, causing them to capsize.

Each canoe had one adult and one juvenile. At one point, one of the miners attempted to help the overturned canoeists and his kayak overturned, sending him into the river. They were all able to hold on to downed trees in the river until they could be rescued by first responders.

No injuries were reported among the nine people rescued. None of the individuals have been identified by authorities.

The Rice County Sheriff's Office utilized several specialized units during the rescue, including the Rice County Dive and Drone Teams.

Sheriff Thomas recommends that people “exercise extreme caution on the river” and consider their safety and that of first responders who must work to rescue capsized or stranded individuals.

The sheriff thanked other agencies that assisted in the incident, including the Faribault Police Department, Faribault Fire Department, Northfield Fire Department, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, State Patrol State of Minnesota, North EMS and the Rice-Steele Dispatch Center.